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Articles by Anne Speckhard
HSToday Threat Forecast 2025: Domestic Violent Extremists and Terrorism
There are numerous security challenges upcoming in 2025. Terrorist and domestic violent extremism offenses are likely to continue to be primarily carried out by so-called “lone wolves.” These are individuals acting alone without direction from a terrorist or violent extremist group.
Developing and Testing Virtual Training for Police Prevention of Extremist Infiltration in Communities
Targeted violence and violent extremism are on the rise in the United States and law enforcement personnel, specifically police officers and sheriffs’ deputies, are often the first line of defense in countering targeted violent extremist infiltration and recruitment attempts in their communities (https://www.splcenter.org/year-hate-extremism-2022).
Anne Speckhard Sophia AbiNajm, Author at Hstoday
Anne Speckhard, Ph.D., is Director of the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism (ICSVE) and serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown University School of Medicine. She has interviewed over 700 terrorists, their family members and supporters in various parts of the world including in Western Europe, the Balkans, Central Asia, the Former Soviet Union and the Middle East.
Crowdfunding and Cryptocurrency Fuel Renewed Efforts to Smuggle Islamic State Fighters from Syrian Detention
A significant escalation in Islamic State’s (IS) attacks in Syria during the first half of the year, combined with a recent surge in prison break attempts by detained IS operatives in Northern Syria allude to the group regaining strength.
PERSPECTIVE: ISIS Women Attack Those Who Denounce the Group, Shouting ‘Baqiya – We Will Endure Forever! - HS Today
“Baqiya!” is the battle cry of those who continue to believe in the resurgence of ISIS. It is also the battle cry of female ISIS enforcers in Camp al Roj, the camp in Syria housing women and children related to ISIS members. These women recently attacked and brutally beat Hoda Muthana, a woman who grew up in America—a girl who at age 19, had briefly believed the ISIS lies and joined the group only to find that it was not what she’d been told and who now strongly denounces ISIS.
IS/ISKP Supporters Harness Generative AI for Propaganda Dissemination
Militant groups such as the Islamic State (IS) and its supporter communities are increasingly capitalizing on advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) to disseminate propaganda and disinformation more efficiently and at reduced costs.
Islamic State’s Global Financial Networks: Part II
If you’re new to this article, click here to read Part I of this two-part series before continuing. The exploitation of humanitarian causes by militant groups to garner sympathy among Muslims and secure increased funding is a longstanding tactic, not a novel phenomenon. Entities linked to the Islamic State in Pakistan Province (ISPP) previously capitalized on last year’s February earthquakes in Turkey and Idlib, soliciting cryptocurrency donations.
Islamic State’s Global Financial Networks: Part I
Five years after the demise of IS’s territorial caliphate in Syria and the subsequent arrival of the IS families in northeastern Syrian camps, IS and its aligned international networks continue to exploit the global financial system marked by their increased use of cryptocurrencies to raise funds for the detainees’ daily needs and securing their escapes via smuggling.
Hstoday Islamic State’s Global Financial Networks: Cryptocurrency and European Bank Transfers Fund Detained IS Women and Fighters in Syria, Furthering Militant Objectives - HS Today
Five years after the demise of IS’s territorial caliphate in Syria and the subsequent arrival of the IS families in northeastern Syrian camps, IS and its aligned international networks continue to exploit the global financial system marked by their increased use of cryptocurrencies to raise funds for the detainees’ daily needs and securing their escapes via smuggling.
Militant Jihadist Groups Revitalize their Crowdfunding Campaigns through Crypto Donations amid the Israeli-Hamas Conflict
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Militant Jihadist Groups Revitalize their Crowdfunding Campaigns through Crypto Donations amid the Israeli-Hamas Conflict
Jihadist groups like Al Qaeda, Islamic State, and their sympathizers have been tapping into the heightened hostility and anger of Muslims over Israel’s aerial bombardment and military invasion of Gaza to bolster their financial resources through crowdfunding campaigns.
Why I Talk to Domestic Violent Extremists
I have crisscrossed the globe for the past 20 years studying the international enemy, interviewing more than 800 militant jihadists, terrorists, and violent extremists from ISIS, Al Qaeda, Al Shabaab and more—mostly men, but also women and even children who escaped and survived to tell their stories.
PERSPECTIVE: The Future Fighters of ISIS Are Adolescents Being Smuggled Out of Al-Hol by Their Mothers and Financial Networks
Despite notable repatriation progress in early 2023, involving 14 countries returning their nationals, including children, the issue of detention centers and camps in Northeast Syria remains a critical challenge for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the U.S.-led anti-IS coalition. Likewise, Al-Hol camp continues to prove a breeding ground for IS resurgence.
ISIS-Affiliated Financial Networks Double Down on Efforts to Exfiltrate Loyalists, Particularly Young Boys, from Camp Al-Hol Original
The February 2023 UN report of the Analytical and Sanctions monitoring team concerning Al Qaeda and IS reinforced the security threat posed by the Al-Hol camp as Islamic State’s major recruiting hub for minors, as a key financial node for laundering funds to fuel its insurgency, and for smuggling out detainees to replenish its ranks.
ISIS women using young boys as sex slaves to breed fighters - opinion
Some refuse to accept Caliphate's territorial defeat and seek to bear it more children – using pubescent boys within the camps as sexual partners. ISIS has long been known for its sexual predation on Yazidi, Christian, Shia and even Sunni women who they captured and forced into sexual slavery, some sold to individual ISIS cadres, others serving in group homes where they were subjected to systematic multiple rapes.
Opinion: ISIS Women Using 13-Year-Old Boys as Sex Slaves to Breed New Fighters
Relatives of suspected ISIS fighters at the Kurdish-run al Hol camp in the Hasakeh governorate in northeastern Syria, Aug. 26, 2022.
ISIS Women Accused of Turning Teen Boys Into a Human Stud Farm Original
Two boys have come forward to claim they were victims in a twisted plot run by ISIS women that forced at least 10 young teenagers to try to impregnate dozens of women held in a detention center. "We are being forced to have sex with the ISIS women, to impregnate them," Ahmet, 13, and Hamid, 14, told a guard at Camp al Hol in northeast Syria, according to Syrian Defense Force officials.
ISIS Women Accused of Turning Teen Boys Into Human Stud Farm in Syria
1 day ago Shamima Begum has lost her appeal against the decision to remove her British citizenship. In February 2025, Ms Begum travelled to Syria as a 15-year-old, alongside two other east London school pupils, to join Isis. Then-home secretary Sajid Javid revoked her British citizenship on national security grounds after she was found pregnant in a Syrian refugee camp in 2019. Ms Begum, now 23, has lost her legal battle with the government over the decision and will not be allowed back to the UK.
Ethical Arguments for the Separation of ISIS-Affiliated Male Youth from Their Mothers into Rehabilitation Programs
The welfare of children and adolescents housed in al Roj and al Hol camps located in Northeast Syria has also been the subject of considerable debate among Western policy makers, with the UNHCR, as well as the U.S., having called for the safe and voluntary return of these individuals to their countries of origin or third countries, as well as for the provision of protection and assistance to those who remain in the camps.[1] While many repatriations have occurred, most countries have made...
PERSPECTIVE: Far-Right Violent Extremist Radicalization Among Veterans and Active-Duty Servicemembers by the Numbers
As demonstrated by Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph, and Ruby Ridge standoff leader Randy Weaver, cases of far-right violent extremist radicalization among veterans and active-duty members of the U.S. military may be few in their numbers, but they are lethal in their results.
PERSPECTIVE: Four Intersections Between Policing and Violent Extremism That Cannot Be Ignored
In recent years media articles and reports on police involvement in violent extremist groups, particularly far-right and white supremacist groups, have been released on a monthly or even weekly basis.
Prison-Based Radicalization to Militant Jihadism in the Maldives
With fewer than 400,000 people living on approximately 200 islands, the Maldives has tended to be overlooked in terrorism research, often overshadowed by its neighbors like Pakistan and Indonesia. In recent years, however, the Maldives has garnered increased focus. According to some measures, the Maldives was the nation with the highest per capita number of foreign terrorist fighters [FTF] joining ISIS and al Qaeda in recent years.
ISIS-Linked Transnational Networks Formalize Priority of Freeing Loyalists from Syrian Prison Camps
While Western countries in particular still debate about the return of women and children detained under SDF authority in camps in N.E. Syria, with many Europeans making a push to take those who now disavow ISIS home, before Turks invade the area, geopolitical forces are hard at work pushing some detainees and their supporters to escape from rather simply to survive in camps and prisons in which they are currently held.
PERSPECTIVE: Projected Hate: Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, and White Supremacism
Subject Matter AreasCounterterrorismTerrorism Study Why would someone who identifies as LGBTQ+ participate in a white supremacist group or movement if doing so would require them to hide their identity? It is no secret that white supremacist groups are racist, antisemitic, Islamophobic, and xenophobic. They are also violently homophobic and transphobic.
PERSPECTIVE: Projected Hate: Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, and White Supremacism
It is no secret that white supremacist groups are racist, antisemitic, Islamophobic, and xenophobic. They are also violently homophobic and transphobic. Indeed, sexual orientation and gender identity is the third most common hate crime motivation, behind race, ethnicity, and nationality and religion, with 171 hate crime offenders being motivated by transphobia or homophobia since 1990.
The Disengagement and Deradicalization Debate: Both Are Needed for True Rehabilitation
counterTheoretical debates abound regarding the relative utility and practicality of deradicalization, which includes a cognitive and attitudinal shift away from extremist ideologies and violence, and disengagement, which includes physically refraining from violence but not necessarily a disavowal of the overarching goals of a violent extremist group.
How Interactions with Antifa Can Fuel White Supremacist Groups
In the midst of the growing Black Lives Matter protests since 2020, the word “Antifa” has increasingly appeared online and in the mainstream media. Antifa can refer to different things in different places, but is generally considered a movement or idea, rather than an organized group, which brings together individuals who want to take a stand against fascism, often using violence to do so.
The Three Ps of Amplifying and Accelerating Domestic Extremism in the United States
The question of the rise of domestic extremism in the United States is one which is regularly commented upon by journalists, political pundits, and scholars of numerous academic fields. The data supports a sharp rise in hate crimes over the past five years, including those directed at Asian-Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
PERSPECTIVE: The Oath Keepers Wanted a Coup
“The Oath Keepers were absolutely attempting a coup,” affirmed the group’s former national spokesperson (in his words: propagandist), Jason Van Tatenhove, at a virtual event held by the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism (ICSVE) on June 24, only a few weeks before he is scheduled to appear before the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. Not only that, former President Trump – through Roger Stone, Trump’s...
White Supremacists Speak: Recruitment, Radicalization & Experiences of Engaging and Disengaging from Hate Groups
Reference for this article: Speckhard, Anne, Ellenberg, Molly, and Garret, TM. (May 23, 2022). White Supremacists Speak: Recruitment, Radicalization & Experiences of Engaging and Disengaging from Hate Groups. ICSVE Research Reports. About the Authors: Dr. Anne Speckhard is Director of the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism (ICSVE) and serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown University School of Medicine.
PERSPECTIVE: A Summer Inside QAnon and White Supremacist Online Forums
Throughout U.S. history, the Capitol in Washington, D.C., has been the target of violence more times than Americans care to remember; however, the storming of the Capitol on Jan.
Directed Hate: The Three Stages in Adopting White Supremacist Ideologies
White supremacist ideologies, whether they are associated with neo-Nazi, Christian Identity, Creativity, or Arastú/Odinist groups, hold hatred of Jews and blaming of Jews for the world’s ills as central tenets. And yet, scholars and researchers consistently find that members of white supremacist groups must be taught to be antisemitic. Why is that? The answer might lie in the exposure that white people have to members of these different minority groups.
Breaking the Walls: The Threat of ISIS Resurgence as Social Media Fuels Fundraising in ISIS Women’s Camps
Syria’s North Eastern province of Al Hasakah, where 10,000 alleged ISIS members have been imprisoned, has witnessed disturbing developments in the past month. On Jan. 20, around 100 ISIS members employing suicide vests and car bombs overran the al Sina prison in southern Hasakah, which housed thousands of the ISIS militants.
Self-reported psychiatric disorder and perceived psychological symptom rates among involuntary celibates (incels) and their perceptions of mental health treatment
ABSTRACT This study explores the prevalence of self-reported formal diagnoses and informally identified symptoms of psychological challenges among involuntary celibates (incels). Incels are increasingly becoming a topic of research, primarily focused on their potential for violence. However, there has not been a large study of the mental health antecedents to and results of inceldom, nor has there been extensive investigation of potential psychosocial interventions for incels.
PERSPECTIVE: The English Voice of ISIS Speaks Out Against the Group
Mohammed Khalifa, also known as Abu Ridwan al-Kanadi, made headlines in 2019 when he was identified as the man who provided the English voiceovers for ISIS’s propaganda videos. Khalifa recently pled guilty in United States federal court for his role in the terrorist group, particularly the immense value that he added to their recruitment efforts. Before Mohammed Khalifa, though, there was Anwar al-Awlaki.
The challenge of extremism in the military is not going away without a new perspective
This piece is excerpted and adapted from a larger research publication, which can be found here. In February of 2021, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced that the U.S. military needs the troops’ help to both prevent and eliminate extremism and extremist ideologies within the ranks. The statement was made in response to the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot.
How the FBI Nabbed a German ISIS Woman Over 5-Year-Old Girl’s Vile Murder
Sven Hoppe “You will be caught and prosecuted if you have committed crimes inside the Islamic State.” That was the strong message conveyed on Monday in the successful prosecution of Jennifer Wenisch, a German female ISIS returnee who had, upon her return to Germany from Syria in 2016, claimed innocence. The truth, however, was far more sinister. 27-year-old Wenisch was a convert to Islam who traveled from northwest Germany to Syria to join ISIS in 2014.
How the FBI Nabbed Jennifer Wenisch, a German ISIS Woman, Over 5-Year-Old Girl’s Vile Murder
“You will be caught and prosecuted if you have committed crimes inside the Islamic State.” That was the strong message conveyed on Monday in the successful prosecution of Jennifer Wenisch, a German female ISIS returnee who had, upon her return to Germany from Syria in 2016, claimed innocence. The truth, however, was far more sinister. 27-year-old Wenisch was a convert to Islam who traveled from northwest Germany to Syria to join ISIS in 2014.
PERSPECTIVE: Who Is Accused ISIS Propagandist Mohammed Khalifa?
Mohammed Khalifa, otherwise known as Abu Ridwan al-Kanadi, is a Canadian citizen now facing federal prosecution in the United States for his participation in ISIS, particularly for his role in the terrorist group’s media department. The New York Times reported that Khalifa was transferred from Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) custody to that of the FBI at the end of September.
Rescued American Girl, 8, Says She Was Beaten and Abused in ISIS Camp Original
Two weeks after she was rescued from alleged ISIS supporters in a camp in Northern Syria, a sweet little girl who was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, explained that she was all alone in the world—and knew nothing of her parents. “I only know that my mom died, and my dad died,” the girl, Aminah, said in an American accent.
PERSPECTIVE: New National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism Is a Big Step in the Right Direction
“I just needed some kind of outlet for my hate. I felt like I was part of a cause. You know, it gave me something to belong to. Here I am, a soldier for my race.
PERSPECTIVE: What White Supremacists Tell Us About Recruitment and Deradicalization
On May 11, Attorney General Merrick B.
PERSPECTIVE: Which Lessons Learned from the War on Terror Can Help Us Confront Domestic Terrorism?
“I was happy and just felt accepted. I was just a patriot that loved my country.” Former Proud Boys member and Capitol Hill rioter. In light of a year of violent protests culminating in the Capitol Hill riots, fueled in part by conspiracy theories such as QAnon and possibly incited by our own president, a question arises of what lessons can be learned from two decades of fighting the War on Terror as we turn to confront domestic violent extremism.
How Do Those Vulnerable to Terror Recruitment Respond to YouTube Counter-Narrative Videos?
YouTube, first online in 2005, was one of the earliest social media platforms used by terrorist organizations to spread their propaganda.
PERSPECTIVE: Effective Deterrence for Terrorism in Canada in a New Decade
What is the Violent Extremist Landscape in Canada? In comparison with other Western countries, Canada may be considered relatively lucky when examining its history of violent extremism. The [CIDB] identified 1,405 terrorist or extremist incidents occurring in Canada between 1960 and 2014, in addition to 410 Canadian-affiliated (perpetrator or target) terrorist or extremist incidents occurring outside of Canada during the same time period.
PERSPECTIVE: Incels, Autism, Violent Extremism and the Case of Alek Minassian
“The incel rebellion has already begun,” 25-year-old Alek Minassian posted to Facebook on April 23, 2018, hours before using a rented van to carry out a killing spree that took the lives of 10 and injured 16.[1] Incels are self-identified involuntary celibates, many of whom blame feminism and reproductive rights for having made it possible for women to be selective about their sexual partners in an era when sexual liaisons before marriage are commonplace.
A Glimpse Inside Incel Ideology
In recent years, there has been growing concern about the potential threat of violence, including terrorism and mass murder, that could stem from the community of men who self-identify as involuntary celibates (incels). Incel-related violence represents acts of targeted violence based on anger over perceived and actual experiences of sexual exclusion in a modern world where sex before marriage has become a norm for many.
PERSPECTIVE: What Incels Can Tell Us About Isolation, Resentment, and Terrorism Designations
Incels, a portmanteau of “involuntary celibates,” are primarily men who consider themselves unable to attract a romantic or sexual partner despite their desire for one. In recent years, several high-profile acts of violence linked to the incel community have been the subject of much media coverage and public speculation.
Can Case of Samantha Elhassani Be a Positive Example for Repatriation of Other ISIS Wives?
Samantha Elhassani, an American woman from the state of Indiana, was sentenced last week in federal court for having transported tens of thousands of dollars in cash, gold, and jewelry through Hong Kong to help her husband and his brother join ISIS in Syria.
European Attacks and the Uproar Over Hate Speech as ISIS Virtual Caliphate Continues to Reign
A gruesome beheading of a schoolteacher near Paris, France, followed by another decapitation and killing at a Nice church, the shooting of a priest outside a church in Lyon, France, culminating, thus far, with a synagogue attack in Vienna, Austria, seem to indicate a worrying new uptick in ISIS-claimed and affiliated attacks in Europe.
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